andreas hofer-第111节

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〃Unfortunately　I　do；〃　sighed　Siebermeier；　stepping　hastily　into　the
sitting…room　and　shaking　hands　with　Eliza's　mother。　〃Mrs。　Wallner；〃
he　said；　in　breathless　hurry；　〃your　husband　is　in　the　greatest
danger；　and　only　speedy　flight　can　save　him。〃

Mrs。　Wallner　uttered　a　piercing　cry；　sank　back　into　her　chair；　wrung
her　hands；　and　wept　aloud。　Eliza　did　not　weep；　she　was　calm　and
courageous。　〃Tell　me；　Siebermeier；　what　can　we　do　for　father？　What
danger　threatens　him？〃

〃A　bad　man。　I　believe；　the　clerk　of　the　court；　has　informed　the
French　that　Anthony　Wallner　is　still　on　one　of　the　heights　in　this
neighborhood。　General　Broussier　intends　to　have　him　arrested。　A
whole　battalion　of　soldiers　will　march　to…morrow　morning　to　the
mountain　of　Ober…Peischlag　and　occupy　it。〃

〃Great　God！　my　husband　is　lost；　then！〃　cried　Eliza's　mother；
despairing；　〃nothing　can　save　him　now。〃

〃Hush；　mother；　hush！〃　said　Eliza；　almost　imperatively；　〃we　must　not
weep　now；　we　must　think　only　of　saving　him。　Tell　me；　friend
Siebermeier；　is　there　no　way　of　saving　him？〃

〃There　is　one；〃　said　Siebermeier；　〃but　how　shall　we　get　up　to　him？　A
friend　of　mine；　who　is　acquainted　with　the　members　of　the　court；
informed　me　quite　stealthily　that；　if　Aichberger　could　be　saved　yet；
it　should　be　done　this　very　night。　Now　listen　to　the　plan　I　have
devised。　I　intended　to　set　out　to…morrow　morning　to　peddle　carpets
and　blankets；　for　money　is　very　scarce　in　these　hard　times。　I
procured；　therefore；　a　passport　for　myself　and　my　boy；　who　is　to
carry　my　bundle。　Here　is　the　passportand　look！　the　description
corresponds　nearly　to　Wallner's　appearance。　He　is　of　my　stature　and
age；　has　hair　and　whiskers　like　mine；　and　might　be　passed　off　for
myself。　I　am　quite　willing　to　let　him　have　my　passport；　and　conceal
myself　meanwhile　at　home　and　feign　sickness。　The　passport　would
enable　him　to　escape　safely；　of　course　he　would　have　to　journey
through　the　Alps；　for　every　one　knows　him　in　the　plain。　However；　the
passport　cannot　do　him　any　good；　for　there　is　no　one　to　take　it　up
to　him。　I　would　do　so；　but　the　wound　which　I　received　in　our　last
skirmish　with　the　Bavarians；　in　my　side　here；　prevents　me　from
ascending　the　mountain…paths；　and；　even　though　I　could　go　up　to　him；
it　would　be　useless；　for　we　two　could　not　travel　together；　the
passport　being　issued　to　two　persons；　Siebermeier；　the　carpet…
dealer；　and　the　boy　carrying　his　bundle。　The　boy　is　not　described　in
the　passport；　therefore；　I　thought；　if　one　of　your　sons　were　in　the
neighborhood；　he　might　go　up　to　his　father；　warn　him　of　his　danger；
and　accompany　him　on　his　trip　through　the　mountains。〃

〃But　neither　of　the　boys　is　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Wallner；　despairingly；
〃Schroepfel　took　them　to　the　Alpine　but　near　Upper　Lindeau；　and　is
with　them。　We　two　are　all　alone；　and　there　is；　therefore；　no　way　of
saving　my　dear　husband。〃

〃Yes；　mother；　there　is；〃　cried　Eliza；　flushed　with　excitement。　〃I
will　go　up　to　father。　I　will　warn　him　of　his　danger；　carry　him　the
passport；　and　flee　with　him。〃

〃You！〃　cried　her　mother；　in　dismay。　〃It　is　impossible！　You　cannot
ascend　the　road；　which　is　almost　impassable　even　for　men。　How　should
a　girl；　then；　be　able　to　get　over　it；　particularly　in　the　night；　and
in　so　heavy　a　snow…storm？〃

〃You　will　be　unable　to　reach　your　father；　Lizzie；〃　said　Siebermeier；
〃the　road　is　precipitous　and　very　long；　you　will　sink　into　the　snow；
your　shoes　will　stick　in　it；　and　the　storm　will　catch　your　dress。〃

〃No　road　is　too　precipitous　for　me　if　I　can　save　my　father；〃
exclaimed　Eliza；　enthusiastically。　〃I　must　reach　him；　and　God　will
enable　me　to　do　so。　Wait　here　a　moment；　I　will　be　back　immediately。
I　will　prepare　myself　for　the　trip；　and　then　give　me　the　passport。〃

〃She　will　lose　her　life　in　the　attempt；〃　said　Mrs。　Wallner；
mournfully；　after　she　had　hastened　out　of　the　room。　〃Alas！　alas！　I
shall　lose　my　husband；　my　sons；　and　my　daughter　too！　And　all　has
been　in　vain；　for　the　Tyrol　is　ruined；　and　we　have　to　suffer　these
dreadful　misfortunes　without　having　accomplished　anything！〃

〃And　the　enemy　acts　with　merciless　cruelty　in　the　country；〃　said
Siebermeier；　furiously；　〃he　sets　whole　villages　on　fire　if　he　thinks
that　one　of　the　fugitives　is　concealed　here；　he　imposes　on　the
people　heavy　war…taxes；　which　we　are　unable　to　pay；　and　if　we　say　we
have　no　money；　he　takes　our　cattle　and　other　property　from　us。　Wails
and　lamentations　are　to　be　heard　throughout　the　valley；　that　is　all
we　have　gained　by　our　bloody　struggle！〃

At　this　moment　the　door　opened；　and　Eliza　came　in；　not　however　in
her　own　dress；　but　in　the　costume　of　a　Tyrolese　peasant…lad。

〃Heavens！　she　has　put　on　her　brother　William's　Sunday　clothes；〃
cried　her　mother；　with　a　mournful　smile；　〃and　they　sit　as　well　on
her　as　if　they　had　been　made　for　her。〃

〃Now；　Siebermeier；〃　said　Eliza；　holding　out　her　hand　to　him；　〃give
me　the　passport。　The　moon　is　rising　now；　and　I　must　go；〃

〃But　listen；　my　daughter；　how　the　wind　howls！〃　cried　her　mother；　in
deep　anguish。　〃It　beats　against　the　windows　as　if　to　warn　us　not　to
go　out。　Oh；　Lizzie；　my　last　joy；　do　not　leave　me！　I　have　no　one　left
but　you；　stay　with　me；　my　Lizzie；　do　not　leave　your　poor　mother！　You
will　die　in　the　attempt；　Lizzie！　Stay　here；　have　mercy　upon　me；　and
stay　here！〃

〃I　must　go　to　father；〃　replied　Eliza。　disengaging　herself　gently
from　her　mother's　arms。　〃Give　me　the　passport；　friend　Siebermeier。〃

〃You　are　a　brave　girl；〃　said　Siebermeier；　profoundly　moved；　〃the
good　God　and　the　Holy　Virgin　will　protect　you。　There；　take　the
passport；　you　are　worthy　to　carry　it　to　your　father。〃

〃And　I　shall　carry　it　to　him　or　die　on　the　road；〃　cried　Eliza；
enthusiastically；　waving　the　paper。　〃Now；　dear　mother；　do　not　weep；
but　give　me　your　blessing！〃

She　knelt　down　before　her　mother；　who　had　laid　her　hand　on　her　head。

〃Lord；　my　God；〃　she　exclaimed；　solemnly；　〃protect　her　graciously　in
her　pious　effort　to　save　her　father。　Take　your　mother's　blessing；　my
Lizzie；　and　think　that　her　heart　and　love　accompany　you。〃

She　bent　over　her；　and　imprinted　a　long　kiss　on　her　daughter's
forehead。

〃I　must　go　now；　it　is　high　time；〃　said　Eliza；　making　a　violent
effort　to　restrain　her　tears。　〃Farewell；　friend　Siebermeier；　God　and
the　saints　will　reward　you　for　the　service　you　have　rendered　us。〃

〃My　best　reward　will　be　to　learn　that　Wallner　is　safe；〃　said
Siebermeier；　shaking　hands　with　her。

〃Now；　a　last　kiss；　dearest　mother；〃　said　Eliza。　She　encircled　her
mothers　neck　with　both　her　arms；　and　kissed　her　tenderly。　〃Pray　for
me　and　love　me。〃　She　whispered；　〃and　if　I　should　not　come　back；　if　I
should　lose　my　life；　mother；　write　it　to　Elza　and　to　HIM；　and　write
that　I　died　with　love　and　fidelity　in　my　heart。　Farewell！〃

She　disengaged　herself　quickly　and　hastened　out　of　the　room；
regardless　of　the　despairing　cries　of　her　mother；　and　not　even
looking　back　to　her。　It　was　high　time　for　her　to　set　out。

She　was　in　the　street　now。　The　snow　rushed　furiously　into　her　face；
the　bowling　storm　dashed　madly　against　her　cheeks　until　they　became
very　sore；　but　the　moon　was　in　the　heavens　and　lighted　her　path。　It
was　the　same　path　which　she　had　ascended　with　Ulrich　when　saving
him。　She　was　alone　now；　but　her　courage　and　her　trust　in　God　were
with　her；　strengthened　and　refreshed　by　her　love　for　her　father；　she
ascended　the　steep　mountain　path。　At　times　the　piercing　wind
rendered　her　breathless　and　seized　her　with　such　violence　that　she
had　to　cling　to　a　projecting　rock　in　order　not　to　fall　from　the
barrow　path　into　the　abyss　yawning　at　her　feet。　At　times　avalanches
rolled　close　to　her　with　thundering　noise　into　the　depth　and
enveloped　her　in　a　cloud　of　snow；　but　the　moon　shed　her　silver　light
on　her　path；　and　Eliza　looked　up　courageously。

Forgetful　of　her　own　danger；　she　prayed　in　her　heart　only；　〃God
grant　that　I　may　save　my　father！　Let　me　not　die　before　reaching
him！〃




CHAPTER　XLIII。

THE　FLIGHT。


Anthony　Wallner　sat　in　his　lonely　Alpine　hut　on　the　height　near　the
village　of　Ober…Peischlag；　and　listened　to　the　storm；　which　howled
so　loudly　to…night　that　the　but　shook　and　he　was　unable　to　sleep　on
his　couch　of　straw。　He　had　lighted　his　lamp；　and　sat　musingly　at　the
pine　table；　leaning　his　head　on　his　hand；　and　brooding　mournfully
over　his　dreary　future。　How　long　would　he　have　to　remain　herein　his
open　grave？　How　lone　would　he　be　chased　yet；　like　a　wild　beast；　from
mountain　to　mountain？　How　long　would　he　be　obliged　yet　to　lead　an
idle　and　unprofitable　life　in　this　frozen　solitude；　exposed　to　the
fury　of　the　elements；　and　in　constant　dread　of　losing　this　miserable
life？　These　were　the　questions　that　he　asked　himself；　intense　rage
seized　his　heart；　tears　of　bitter　grief　filled　his　eyesnot
however；　at　his　own　misfortunes；　but　at　the　miseries　of　his
fatherland。

〃What　am　I　suffering　for？　What　did　I　fight　and　risk　my　life　for？
What　did　we　all　shed　our　blood　for？　What　did　our　brethren　die　for　on
the　field　of　battle？　The　fatherland　was　not　saved；　the　French
defeated　us；　and　our　emperor　abandoned　us。　We　were　brave　defenders
of　our　country；　and　now　they　call　us　criminals；　we　intended　to　save
the　fatherland；　and　n